College Students Display Unhealthy Life Habits Under Stress
Male and female college students display unhealthy habits under stress, according to a new study led by a researcher from Woosung University in South Korea. The study was conducted in 2019 by Jinkyung Choi in the field of food service management.
Choi concluded that college students differ in lifestyle and diet from the general population, with specific differences between male and female students and at each year of college. The study revealed that college students engaged in more unhealthy eating and daily behaviors when under high stress than when under low stress. The study was published online April 27, 2020 in the National Library of Medicine.
Despite the positive relationship between a healthy lifestyle and high quality of life, the rate of obesity doubled over the past 20 years, and data from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment presented that 36.7% of college students were overweight.
Food preferences are the primary contributors of one’s diet and consequently part of a healthy lifestyle. However, previous research has shown that food preferences change as students grow due to decreased parental control. The self-managed dietary patterns are influenced by genetic but more so by social and environmental factors as students gain more independence.
To observe patterns of eating behaviors of college students under stress as well as differences in age and sex, Choi surveyed 9725 students at a university in Korea for two months. Students were asked about their physical activity, dietary habits, and perceived stress levels on a scale from never to very often. Results from the survey showed that females engaged in greater amounts of unhealthy habits relative to males. Females either consumed more snacks like candy, cake, and soft drinks, skipped males or ate without control under stress.
In addition to showing less nutritious consumption patterns, the study suggested that females are more vulnerable to stress relative to males, which can increase irregular eating. Perception of higher stress from females may motivate them to go on a diet more often than males.
The results of this study are consistent with other studies done in the United States that investigate health behaviors of college students under stress, suggesting that stress, eating, and behavior constitute a general trend. Results elicited from surveys reinforce the fact that an unhealthy lifestyle including imbalanced diet and activity could negatively affect mental and physical health of college students. Considering the relationship between stress and health, administrators should provide more assistance on effective stress management and ensure that campus has healthy food options. They must not only foster a healthy academic environment but also regularly observe how academics are affecting students’ personal lives.
Article referenced: Choi, J. (2020). Impact of Stress Levels on Eating Behaviors among College Students. Nutrients, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051241
